Update Applicable to:	Effective Date
All Employers in Rhode Island	June 24, 2025

What happened?

On July 1, 2025, Governor Dan McKee signed into law legislation (S0361) that expands Rhode Island’s fair employment practices to include workplace protections for women experiencing menopause—making Rhode Island the first state in the nation to do so.

Overview:

What the Law Does: The law updates Rhode Island’s Fair Employment Practices Act to explicitly include menopause and menopause-related conditions—such as vasomotor symptoms (e.g., hot flashes)—alongside existing protections for pregnancy and childbirth. It ensures that employees experiencing menopause are entitled to reasonable accommodation and protection from discrimination in the workplace.

Key Employer Responsibilities

• Reasonable Accommodations: Employers must provide accommodations unless doing so would cause undue hardship. Examples include:

• More frequent or longer breaks.
• Modified work schedules.
• Temporary job transfers
• Light duty or job restructuring
• Private space (not a bathroom) for expressing breast milk.

• Prohibited Practices: Employers may not:

• Refuse accommodation for menopause-related conditions.
• Require leave if another accommodation is possible.
• Deny employment or promotion based on accommodation needs.
• Fail to provide written notice of these rights to:
  • New employees at the start of employment
  • Existing employees within 120 days of the law’s effective date
  • Employees who notify the employer of pregnancy or menopause (within 10 days)

Additional Information:

Section-by-Section Summary

SECTION 1: Amendment to § 28-5-7.4

• Title: Accommodation of pregnancy-related and menopause-related conditions

• Subsection (a): Employer Obligations
• § 28-5-7.4(a)(1)– (5): Prohibits discrimination, mandates accommodations, and requires written notice.

• Subsection (b): Definitions
• § 28-5-7.4(b)(2): Defines “reasonable accommodations”.
• § 28-5-7.4(b)(3): Defines “related conditions” (e.g., lactation, hot flashes).
• § 28-5-7.4(b)(4): Defines “undue hardship” and outlines factors for consideration.

• Subsections (c)–(f): Employer Limitations
• Employers are not required to:
  • Create new jobs.
  • Displace senior employees.
  • Promote unqualified individuals.

• The law does not override stronger protections.
• Employees are not required to accept accommodation they do not want.

SECTION 2: Effective Date: The law is effective immediately upon passage.

Source References

• Rhode Island SB 361 – An Act Relating To Labor And Labor Relations – Fair Employment Practices
• Rhode Island HB 6161 – An Act Relating To Labor And Labor Relations – Fair Employment Practices a – Companion Bill
• Rhode Island Press Release

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